Swiveled iron cord protector



Nov. 21 195) L, REICHOLD ET AL 2,530,540

SWIVELLED IRON CORD PROTECTOR Filed Oct. 30, 1947 INVENTOR.

Lunvwa File-HOLD. BY Lou/s V. Luc/fi.

Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWIVELED IRON CORD PROTECTOR Connecticut Application October 30, 1947, Serial No. 782,994

4 Claims.

with the hand.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide for an electrical appliance, a grommet,

or cord protector which is adapted to accommo date either a lefthanded or righthanded person using the appliance.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a grommet which will prevent fraying of the iron cord when subjected to bending and pulling during the use of the appliance.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational side view of a portion of an electric iron with parts broken away show-- ing thereon a grommet embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional end view of my improved grommet on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional end view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 of my improved grommet detached from the iron.

As shown in the drawing, the numeral 5 represents the rear portion of an electric flat iron having attached thereto by suitable means, a handle 6 preferably consisting of two halves 1-i3 fastened together by screws 9 as indicated in Fig. 1. The handle 6 may be provided with a rearwardly projecting portion it having therein a chamber H which communicates with the interior of the iron through a hole l2 in the top of the said iron. The rear wall l3 of the chamber contains an opening [4 therethrough, a section of which is notched out as at l5 to form abutments l6 and I! in the said rear wall.

The grommet embodying our invention is preferably constructed of rubber and may consist of a body portion [8 having projecting therefrom a hollow tubular sleeve member I9 as shown in Fig. 1. A centrally located stem 20 extends from the face of the body portion l8 through the opening it wherein it is swivelly retained by the flange 2! which abuts the marginal portion of the Wall l3 surrounding the opening I4. A stop 22 is provided on the stem 20 and is adapted to abut the sides [6 and I! of the notch I5 to limit the angle through which the grommet may be turned, so as not to permit too great a twist on the iron cord 23 which extends from the terminals of the iron through the hole [2 and into the chamber II where it enters a centrally located passage 24 extending through the grommet as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Let it be assumed that the iron is being used by a righthanded person. The grommet would then be in a position such as that illustrated in Fig. 1, V

wherein the iron cord is directed away from the user. Should a lefthanded person desire to use the iron, the grommet may readily be turned to assume a position at the opposite side of the iron such as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Thus it can be seen that an electric iron provided with my improved grommet may easily be acccmmodated for convenient use by a right or lefthanded person.

It will be understood that the use of our improved grommet is not necessarily limited to electric iron handles, but that it may be employed on any other electrical appliance where the use of a grommet is required.

We claim:

1. For an electric appliance, a grommet comprising a body having an axis about which it is adapted to rotate, a stem projecting from said body on said axis and adapted to extend through and rotate within an opening in said appliance, a sleeve portion extending outwardly from the side of said body and having a passage therein which communicates with the interior of said appliance through the said body and. stem for containing an electric cord attached to the appli- 1 ance, means on said stem for retaining it within the said opening, and stop means on the said stem cooperating with stop means on the appliance for relatively positioning the said sleeve portion for either right or lefthand use of the appliance; the said sleeve portion being carried through a substantially vertical arc upon rotation of said body.

2. For an electrical appliance having a handle and an electrical cord extending through an opening in the rear of said handle, a grommet comprising a body having an axis about which it rotates, a stem projecting from said body on said axis and adapted to extend through said opening and rotate therein, a sleeve projecting outwardly and rearwardly from said body and containing a passage which communicates with the interior of the appliance through the said body for containing an electric cord attached to the appliance, and so positioned as to turn through a substantially vertical are upon rotation of said body, stop means consisting of a projection on said stem adapted to abut the sides of a notch in said opening for limiting the rotation of the said body to position the said sleeve at opposite sides of the said appliance, and means for retaining the said stem within the said openmg.

3. For an electrical appliance having a handle constructed of two halves and a cord passing through a hollow portion between said halves and extending from an opening in a projection at the rear of said handle, a grommet consisting of a body having an axis about which it is adapted to rotate, a stem projecting from said body on said aXis and adapted to extend through said openingand rotate therein, a sleeve projecting outwardly and rearwardly from said body at an angle to the axis of the body and adapted to turn through a substantially vertical are upon rotation of said body, the said sleeve having a passage therein communicating with the interior of said appliance through the body and the hollow portion in said handle for containing an electric cord that is attached to the appliance, a flange on the stem abutting the marginal portion of the wall surrounding said opening for retaining the stem within the opening provided in the said projection at the rear of the said handle, and

stop means consisting of a projection on the said stem located between the said flange and the 4- body and adapted to abut the sides of a notch provided in said opening for selectively positioning the said sleeve at either side of the appliance.

4. For an electrical appliance, a grommet comprising a body having a longitudinal axis about which it is adapted to rotate, a stem projecting from said body on said axis and adapted to extend through an opening in the said appliance for rotation therein, a marginal wall surrounding said opening and having a notch therein, means on said stem engaging said wall for retaining the said stem within the said opening, a flexible sleeve portion extending outwardly and rearwardly from the body and intermediate at the ends thereof; there being provided a passage through said stem, body and sleeve portion for containing an electrical cord attached to the interior of the appliance, and stop means on said stem adapted to abut the opposite sides of said notch for selectively positioning the said stem relatively to the said appliance.

LUDWIG REICHOLD.

LOUIS V. LUCIA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 21,577 Brownlee Sept. 24, 1949 2,249,620 Samuels July 15, 1941 2,257,506 MacDonald Sept. 30, 1941 2,299,468 Dafforn et a1. Oct. 20, 1942 

